iFrustration (2): Podcasts and The Apple Store


....Back to my iPod gist, I decided to go to the Apple Store to find out if I could fix the battery of my iPod...the store on Regent Street (London), it has this whole retro feel with someone giving a presentation/demo in the corner probably on some new technology or its functionality and a lot of staff (mostly weird looking, or with dread locks or those who looked like they hadn't showered in days, or the skate-board type ones, in fact they all fit the bill) in T-Shirts with random slogans, hopping and skipping all over the place (not exactly attending to customers).


There were also a lot of people there, some browsing the products, some surfing the net, some there to listen to music, some there to just feel all MAC-y, some queuing to probably buy or fix their items I just don't know. I was tempted to just walk out, there was also a lot of construction noise coming from upstairs (I thought hmm that must be where the technicians are, breaking PC's open and fixing).


Anyways after about 12 minutes of just staring and no one came up to assist me (talk about Customer service), I went and sought one of these Apple guys just for him to give me a business card with the apple web address and told me to go home and book an appointment that they were fully booked --"Just type in concierge in the search bar when you go to apple.com/uk" and book an appointment - GEE THANKS!

So I went online, but hey I had to wait till that particular day to book an appointment i.e. tomorrow - HELPFUL? NOT! I booked an appointment the next morning and went back there, went upstairs to the Genius Bar (I realised the noise was from construction/renovation) and there were loads of people with MACs, iPods, iMacs, iSights, all waiting to be served, so I joined them and sat down.


Ashe after 30 minutes some lady told me to sign in, do they not have any idea that signs in the store are very helpful? What is the point of being all retro and different but not having the major things to help you in a shop. Silly. In the end, the silly girl who attended to me asked me to pay £49 for a new battery but I would lose the engraving on the back and all my songs I was sad for a minute but hmmm okay (my engraving is just my name and not like it was from a loved one, plus I have my songs at home) see me thinking they would take it back and do all the stuff and I would have to come back, she just brought out a brand new Second Generation one (i.e. old-school) for me to take home, I was like what happens to mine then? She's like, it goes back to Apple ----B$tch! So now I have a new mePod!


Anywhoo, now about Podcasts, Oi! Yes, you there, how can you own an ipod and not know about its features? Yes stop denying you! You wondered what podcasts were the other day when you opened your iTunes but you couldn't be bothered to find out since it did not affect your music listening. Little did you know it was the bomb, let alone the new ish! Yeah what are podcasts?


Podcasts are simply pre-recorded broadcasts. So, as opposed to the radio where you can miss out on stuff if you're not tuned in, these are saved and you can just download them. There are millions of podcasts, from "what happened in which episode of the OC" to "self help" to "Naija music" to "Company newsletters" to "comedies" to "learning Spanish" to "Christian Scriptures", etc. and you can further download them on to your iPod, to listen whenever, wherever, cool huh?

My favourite podcast is the Neo Soul Cafe (video and audio). You can download or watch the video podcast here.

Speaking of soul music, check out Aderemi's post and listen to some classics online.

Yes oh, I may be Naija to the Core but I don't mess with my soul music, anyways what does everyone think about podcasts and do you have any interesting ones?

17 comments:

Bella Naija said...

Some bloggers should start podcasting....tht would be very interesting...
congrats on the new i-pod...
when my friend S's i-pod got scratched, they gave her a new one and let her keep the old one..u should have hallered the babe to return it...lol

Mari said...

okay i guess it didnt turn out as bad as you'd think it would. you got a new one not bad.

But come Mona, was it that bad that you even had your name engraved on the back of your ipod. na wa ooo, babes u dont play.

A whole Regents street Apple store cant get their employees to dress proper...not like the ones here are decked out in armani suits but they sure do like heaven's angels, lmao(dont mind me).

Anonymous said...

Hiya Mona, been reading your comments over ipods since it started, tyou really crack me up. I do enjoy visiting your site each day, wish you wrote more frequently though, sorry I never seem to have time to post a comment, but here I am now just to remind you I still visit and love your blog.

Suby

Anonymous said...

I'm soo clueless about these things... any form of technology

Biodun said...

glad u got a new one, I have my name engraved on mine too, so I see how that sucks. I am clueless about the whole podcast thingy though

Aramide said...

Hahah I feel a little bit better but dammit if I knew I would have wringed her neck to gimme my old one back...funny I've not even uploaded any songs yet!

Thanks Suby that is really sweet, I will try and update more often but I try to leave a gap so that novelty doesn't wear out, not everyone can read and comment everyday :o) Thanks again, I shd visit your photoblog more often too! I'm going there now.

Anonymous said...

Also speaking of soul music (and videos in particular), check out my other blog and watch some classics online.

http://80sfunk.blogspot.com/

Onada - Fashion and Photography said...

at least you got a new one.....those crooks!

Anonymous said...

Those people are pretty useless, I've had the misfortune of having to use them once.

I'm a big podcast fan, thankfully, you don't have to have an ipod to listen to them if you know what you're doing !!

Anonymous said...

Thanks for ur comment on my site.
Cant say much about ipods, - havent got one yet.

TMinx said...

hmm, i need to break my ipod too lol. Just kidding. I don't even have one anymore, my sis took the 'house' ipod to school with her. Imagine what these kids are allowed thses days.

Pretty makes the day go faster said...

I ADORE my podcasts; from the TV shows, to the running ones (theyre great for spinning or cardio)-fuky techno stuff, to the Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyers, to the BBc news..I need to get on the naija music, self help and learning spanish joints.lol. so b$tch (in a loving way) the point of all this yapping ipods was to say you got a new one for FREE? you never hala. I was waiting to hear how much $ they were going to get you for. Congrats though :)

Aramide said...

I paid £49 i didnt get it free oh.

Bella Naija said...

thanks for the funmi links...i've updated it!

ciao

BeautyinBaltimore said...

You make me afraid to buy an ipod.

Daddy's Girl said...

I like podcasts, but not when they're too long. When I was living in London, my radio station of choice was LBC. Not a very black choice, I know, but there you go. So I subscribe to the Clive Bull (getting a bit bored with him now) and the Steve Allen (he is so sarcastic and witty on his good days) podcasts to get my LBC hit now that I'm back in Naija. I'm also fond of the MTV News video podcast, short but sweet. Then there's the Ricky Gervais video podcast which is quite funny... but a bit too much cussing. So those are my podcast picks.

Zayzee said...

hi. i love your blog. stumbled upon it today by chance, when i was getting frustrated with mine. zayzee.blogspot.com
so far, yours is the most beautiful that i have seen. for now sha. anyway, i will always make sure i read your blog dutifully as from now on. uzezi